Journalism student Joe Pullman wins double 2023 BJTC awards
Joe won Best Social Short Video and the Steve Harris Award for excellence in journalism.
The Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) Awards highlight outstanding work in TV, radio, online, podcast, and social change categories.
Joe’s award-winning submission, The Silent Killer: Uncovering Leeds’ Housing Crisis, was lauded by judges who said it “pulled you in immediately, demonstrating an understanding of how the best social videos work.”
On his inspiration for the story, Joe shared, “My inspiration for the story on poor housing conditions stemmed from the story of Awaab Ishak, a 2-year-old boy who died from the mould, damp and poor conditions in an estate in Rochdale.
“When I came across the story, I was heartbroken not only for the boy's family but for the millions of people living in conditions like these across England, I was led down a rabbit hole of Facebook posts, online articles and group chats until I came across Rosie Spicer who I eventually decided to create my social short on. I am incredibly grateful to Rosie for letting me into her home and being so welcoming and allowing me to expose the problem many face in this modern-day housing crisis, I am still in contact with Rosie to this day and she is in a much better place in a new flat with none of the previous issues she was encountering – she even sent me a message congratulating me on my award!
“I was incredibly delighted to receive the award, it was proof that others realise the importance of this rising issue and that I was able to help them recognise this.”
